


A Moment

by FlamingoSkull



Category: A Hat in Time (Video Game)
Genre: M/M, Mutual Pining, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-23
Updated: 2020-03-23
Packaged: 2021-02-28 22:21:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,137
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23274661
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FlamingoSkull/pseuds/FlamingoSkull
Summary: Babysitting requires some extra help.
Relationships: The Conductor/DJ Grooves (A Hat in Time)
Comments: 9
Kudos: 114





	A Moment

**Author's Note:**

> Based on this [THIS AMAZING COMIC by skeleslime-phantom on tumblr](https://skeleslime-phantom.tumblr.com/post/612750412382109696/grandpa-conductor-doing-all-he-can-when-daughter) . Go give him a follow, he's a real rad fella.

The Conductor is used to doing things on his own.

He taught himself to fight, years ago, back when he was a wee chick with even bigger anger issues. He learned to cook in order to help his parents out, after he saw how hard it was for his mother to move, or how tired his father was. He bought his first camera with his own money, doing a job he hated.

And when his wife left, leaving him with a lil one, he took care of her all by himself as well.

He has no issue watching his grandchildren, happy to do so for his daughter. He can focus on them, feeding them, instead of thinking about how she's getting weaker, her feathers are falling off more, her eyes are dimmer-

No, none of that. The Conductor has to focus on his grandchildren.

"Clocking out already, darling?" 

The Conductor snaps, "None of ya business!" as a reflex, already on edge from today. But he glances at Grooves, and continues, "...But yeh. Gotta go watch the grand kids for a bit."

"Did something come up again? Is she…" Grooves asks him, and the Conductor  _ hates  _ how much softer his voice gets. And at the same time, his shoulders tense at the word  _ again _ and that fatherly instinct kicks up inside of him.

"Save it, Grooves," he snarls, "don't pretend to care." The Conductor won't listen to someone talk about his family like this, especially his daughter, who has worked harder than anyone else,  _ especially  _ DJ Grooves. "That's just  _ cruel _ -"

He's jerked back, and he realizes his coat has been grabbed. He snaps his gaze up at Grooves, ready to yell at him, but the rockhopper is looking at him oddly, in a way that makes the Conductor pause.

"I don't need to 'pretend' if my sympathy is  _ real _ . I'm finished for the day too, so if you need a helping hand, then you got one." They're close enough that the Conductor can see his eyes through the hideous sunglasses, those bright blue eyes. It makes him think of their sparring not even a week ago, when Grooves got the upperhand and won. And the Conductor had stayed on that floor long after Grooves left, staring up at the ceiling as he thought back on his rival.

"Okay?" Grooves speaks and it jolts the Conductor back. His head is screaming no, that he doesn't need this gaudy primadonna's help. But the Conductor keeps glancing at those eyes, and he ends up sighing, " _ Fine _ . If ye want to come so badly, I guess the kiddos wouldn't mind another pair o' watchful eyes."

"Happy to help, darling." Grooves has an annoying smile on his face as he follows the Conductor, and the owl chooses to ignore it, walking slightly faster than normal.

\--

The last kid has been put to bed. Despite the feeling of dread in his stomach, the Conductor feels at ease, for once not feeling so tired after spending time with his grandchildren. 

Though, he supposes Grooves is to thank for that.

The penguin is a natural with children, the Conductor noticed. Plays with them easily and is great at distracting them, with his glasses or bright coat. The Conductor kept watching him, something warm settling inside him as he saw Grooves pick up his grandchildren, calling them lil darlings.

He huffed a laugh. Little darlings, right. Their babysitter would get a kick out of that.

It's late now, and the Conductor knows he should be shoving Grooves out, mumble a thanks and be on with his life.

"Ye want dinner?" He asks instead, and he feels smug at the surprised look Grooves gives him, only for his heart to flutter at the smile he gives him, "Never can turn down food, darling."

So, the Conductor finds himself cooking dinner for two. Grooves hovers around him in the kitchen, and he finds he doesn't mind it. He cooks them steak, something easy, and stares at it instead of Grooves.

"Yer good with kids." He finds himself saying after a moment.

"Heh. Well...had a lot of little cousins growing up."

"No kids?" Conductor glances at him, and he does find himself a little surprised. Grooves is a peckneck, of course, but he's by no means ugly. Nice soft blue feathers, broad shoulders, a soothing voice...Grooves is by all standards, a handsome bird. 

"Ah, well...you know, guys like me can't really have kids." Grooves laughs, a nervous thing the Conductor barely hears.

The owl furrows his brows and looks at him. "Like you?"

"Gay."

Oh. "Ah." The Conductor clears his throat, and he feels so suddenly flustered.

Him and Grooves go quiet, and the owl hands him a plate of food. They sit next to each other on the couch, shoulders touching.

This feels odd, sitting like this, in his daughters home. Grooves eats quietly, and the Conductor's chest keeps fluttering, every time they brush against each other.

"You'd be a good parent." He says, suddenly, and can't dare look to see Grooves expression. He sets his plate aside, and instead finds himself fiddling with his hands. "I, er, appreciate...you helpin' with the kids."

He does look at Grooves now, and his heart jumps into his throat. The penguin is smiling at him, that smile all lopsided and dopey, as his blue eyes are soft. He can see them clearly now, with the shades set aside because one of his grandkids was playing with them. 

He's suddenly very aware how close he is to Grooves. He shifts a bit, angling himself to face him. Grooves is still smiling, and says in that lovely voice of his, "Thank you, darling. You're not so bad yourself."

That teasing near the end gets the Conductor swallowing hard, feeling himself heat up because of it. Grooves and him are so close now, their beaks almost touching, and the Conductor should  _ say  _ something back, but all he can do is open and close his beak.

Grooves' eyes dart down to the Conductor's beak. "Darling?" He mumbles, quietly. The Conductor is gripping his jacket, and Grooves closes his eyes as the owl leans forward-

"Pepaw!"

Both the Conductor and Grooves jump, the Conductor shoving himself away from Grooves. One of his little tykes smile at him, crawling out from the kitchen.

Oh bloody hell, "Hidin' in cabinets again?" He huffs at the little one, who giggles at being picked up. He snuggles into the Conductor's chest, who shyly glances at Grooves.

The penguin stares, but manages to clear his throat. "Heh, uh...ahem, best put him to bed."

"Yeah." He says, and looks away. He quickly walks away, not at all thinking about what him and Grooves were about to do.

It was just the heat of the moment, he tells himself. 


End file.
